2008 Stingray 195LS Bowrider BILGE PUMP questions

[tthomasjr]

This boat is new to me and I have never "docked" a boat before. I docked for 2 days and we had a good rain on the second day. My boat has an automatic bilge pump that cuts on every 3 minutes and runs for a second to check for water so not too worried about the rain. Well, I went to the boat, cut on the blowers and manually cut on the bilge pump and it removed a solid stream of water for over a minute. My question is, is my intermittent bilge not detecting water or are there two bilges, one for engine compartment and one for water in hull. I have heard conflicting stories and not sure if my bilge needs to be checked.
Thank you,

 

[Chris1956]

A 19 footer would normally have a single bilge pump in the bilge, however, if the boat is pre-owned, anything is possible.

Automatic bilge pumps like you have usually have a manual turn on wire, as well as the automatic function.

Those automatic bilge pumps are very reliable, until the automatic function breaks. If your's is still working, then:

Either you turned off the power to the automatic function, when you left the boat docked or you have two pumps in different parts of the boat, one of which is manual.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Do you have mooring cover over your boat? If you're away from the boat and get a lot of rain, even a functional bilge pump can run down the battery and fill your boat with water.

If it were me, I'd:
(a) check the functionality of the auto switch on the bilge pump; if it is functioning correctly, I'm not sure why so much would come out when you manually turned on the pump;
(b) consider adding a redundant pump and battery, if you plan to leave the boat in the water for extended periods of time.
(c) invest in a mooring cover to keep water out in the first place.

My boat lives on a trailer for all but 2-3 weeks a year, but those 2-3 week it's docked at our cabin in Ontario, and I don't trust leaving a boat unattended with only a single line of defense against filling with water from heavy rains.

 

[JimS123]

In that time period Stingray put in a lot of those crappy "detect water on every few minute" bilge pumps. That in itself will drain the battery if the boat is not used often. It never shuts off.

For ours we replaced the stoopid pump with a unit with float switch and changed the dash switch with an on - off - auto switch.

 

[tthomasjr]

In that time period Stingray put in a lot of those crappy "detect water on every few minute" bilge pumps. That in itself will drain the battery if the boat is not used often. It never shuts off.

For ours we replaced the stoopid pump with a unit with float switch and changed the dash switch with an on - off - auto switch.

I think replacing the bilge with a float activated is what I need to do. I have a bimini top but do not have a cover for the boat (my boat has no snaps for a cover so i assume it would be a major install to get a snap in cover) but the ramp is right around the corner from my slip. I prefer keeping it in my garage if I know I am not going to use it for a week or so.

Even sitting in the garage with the master power switch OFF I hear the bilge come on every 2.5 minutes and run for a couple seconds. My concern is, that even with water in the boat, that bilge is cutting on every 2.5 minutes but STILL ONLY PUMPING for the same 2 seconds and shutting back off. Maybe I need to give it a trial run in the driveway and run a hose into the back bottom of the boat and see what it does.

Thanks for the tips. My only other boat was a Yamaha jet boat that I owned for 3 years so still a GREEN boat owner. Also, I have never had a dock before so I always had to trailer at the end of the day. Again, appreciate the help.

 

[mike_i]

Sounds like the pump is connected start to the battery and not thru the battery switch as it should be. I'd replace the pump with a float switch activated pump.

I think replacing the bilge with a float activated is what I need to do. I have a bimini top but do not have a cover for the boat (my boat has no snaps for a cover so i assume it would be a major install to get a snap in cover) but the ramp is right around the corner from my slip. I prefer keeping it in my garage if I know I am not going to use it for a week or so.

Even sitting in the garage with the master power switch OFF I hear the bilge come on every 2.5 minutes and run for a couple seconds. My concern is, that even with water in the boat, that bilge is cutting on every 2.5 minutes but STILL ONLY PUMPING for the same 2 seconds and shutting back off. Maybe I need to give it a trial run in the driveway and run a hose into the back bottom of the boat and see what it does.

Thanks for the tips. My only other boat was a Yamaha jet boat that I owned for 3 years so still a GREEN boat owner. Also, I have never had a dock before so I always had to trailer at the end of the day. Again, appreciate the help.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Yep I would get rid of that äuto" bilge and replace it with a standard bilge that works off the float and proximity switch. A 750 gallon per minute will serve you just fine. I'm surprised your battery isn't dead after a few days. That's a good battery. What brand battery is it if I may ask? Water can enter a boat from the top or bottom even the sides. From the top is OK, bottom or side not so OK.

 

[Chris1956]

Those automatic bilge pumps that com on every 3 minutes to check for water work very well, and do not run the battery down. I know, I have them in every boat I own. The boats sit for 2 weeks or more and the batteries are just fine.

Automatic bilge pumps are superior pumps with float switches, as they cannot jam with debris, and the switch wires cannot break etc. I have never had an issue with them, and the bilge is always dry.

Not sure what issue the OP has, but if he looks at the pump installation, I am sure it will be apparent.

Also, auto bilge pumps should be wired directly to the battery, thru an inline fuse. If you connect them thru the main battery switch, you must leave it on, which defeats it's purpose.